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The Rifle River Watershed
All 396 square miles of the Rifle River Watershed are found within the boundaries of Ogemaw and Arenac Counties. From the headwaters near the Rifle River Rec Area, the river flows southeasterly to its confluence with Lake Huron (Saginaw Bay). One of Michigan’s 16 Designated Natural Rivers, the system boasts cold, high quality tributaries that support year-round populations of trout and a varied landscape made up forested lands, agricultural fields, and the smaller urban cities of West Branch, Rose City, and Omer.
Identified as the highest quality tributary to Saginaw Bay, the Rifle River Watershed is the focus of large scale conservation effort aimed to reduce excess sediment and nutrient pollution entering the river. This is being achieved by identifying pollution sources through inventory, selecting high-priority restoration projects, and working with the local volunteer restoration committee to build a strong network for long-term, community driven watershed protection.